Lawsuit Claims Kid Never Would Have Killed Abusive Father Without Playing GTA

from the that-might-take-some-proof dept

rijit writes in to tell us about the latest lawsuit filed by anti-video game lawyer Jack Thompson. This one is similar to other lawsuits, suing the various companies involved in the game, blaming them for a murder, just because a kid who killed his family happened to play Grand Theft Auto. The lawsuit actually claims that this kid never would have shot his father, step mother and step sister if not for the game: "But for Posey's use of these products ... he would not have killed." It would seem like that's a pretty difficult point to prove, especially given that the boy's lawyers claim that his father abused him for years. What this all about, however, is again taking responsibility off of the actual killer. It is obviously disturbing that he went out and shot three family members, and it is worth exploring the reasons why. However, to place the blame entirely on a video game is letting the kid escape responsibility for his actions and would be a horribly perverse response to horrible situation.

Reader Comments

Re: ARE YOU GUYS JOKING?

1. as much as i dislike history, you really need to refresh yourself on it. the constitution affords us the right to bear arms for a reason. it's not for hunting or for fun. it's for defense. personal defense against oppression.

2. it's an indisputable fact? really? well, i dispute it. people murder other people because they have a motive or are insane. someone doesn't kill a person just because they have a gun and it's easy to kill a person (granted an insane person might, but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't do so by other means if a gun wasn't accessible). outlawing guns does not get rid of a person's motive to commit murder and certainly does not make an insane person sane.

3. what happens when we outlaw guns and then the canadians come down and take over? what happens when they're packing ak's and we're left without any guns and our military is off fighting some politicians chessboard war?

I'd hate to say it, but your juvenile age shows. first, you insult us with baseless accusations. we're sheep? see, the point of the 2nd amendment is that we don't allow ourselves to be forced to be sheep by someone who does bear arms. second, you seem to be under the impression that if people think on their own and make a logical deduction then it will be the same deduction that you have made. that is an incredibly naive notion. logic cannot dictate what is the correct conclusion in such things, and as experience shows us, people, even those rationally minded, will form different opinions that both have validity in their own rights.